Awada Combat Club: ERA Fight Night Recap

Top MMA News was on hand for the debut of Awada Combat Club at the Maharaja Banquet Hall in Edmonton, Alberta. After the cancellation of Aggression MMA 6 George Awada and the guys at Era Fightwear stepped up on short notice and gave the fighters a stage to showcase their skills.

Despite only having five fights on the card, the fans were treated to entertaining fights from the bottom of the card right up to the main event. The evening was capped off with an action packed battle between MMA newcomer and Muay Thai world champion Shane “Shaolin” Campbell and American journeyman Tony “Lionheart” Hervey. The two battled to a split decision that was not only the fight of the night but a definite candidate for fight of the year.

Shane Campbell vs. Tony HerveyRound 1: Campbell lands a leg kick and Hervey immediately looks to take the fight to the ground, securing a takedown but the the fighters get caught in the ropes and the referee restarts the action in the center of the ring. Hervey is in the guard and Campbell lands elbows from the bottom. Campbell looks to sweep but again the two are tangled in the ropes and restarted. Campbell lands a head kick and Hervey secures another takedown to guard. Campbell lands elbows to the body and Hervey postures up and looks to land shots. Campbell continues to work the body and land elbows from the bottom. Hervey stands up out of the guard and drops right back down into the guard with a few shots. Campbell continues to stay busy from the bottom with elbows and Hervey lands one big right before the end of the round. Top MMA News scores the round 10-9 for Campbell

Round 2: Hervey lands a leg kick and Campbell responds with a combo. Hervey looks for a takedown but Campbell stuffs it and lands elbows to the body. Campbell moves to north/south position and transitions to full mount. Hervey bucks him off and the two get back to their feet. Campbell throws a head kick which is blocked by Hervey but he is unable to avoid the big knee that follows. Hervey grabs a leg and Campbell lands more thunderous elbows to the body. Hervey wraps up a double leg and drives Campbell right through the ropes. After another restart Hervey lands a body kick and Campbell simultaneously lands a kick to the groin. Hervey takes his five minutes to recover and referee Tom Collins deducts a point from Campbell. After the restart Hervey lands a body kick and Campbell responds with a body kick and a head kick that knocks Hervey into the ropes. Campbell i into the corner at Hervey with a flying knee and gets tangled in the ropes. Campbell fires away with a quick flurry followed by a pair of knees before scooping Hervey up and dumping him to the mat. Campbell peppers the body with more elbows and looks for a straight armbar but lets go and lands punches until the end of the round. Top MMA News scores the round 9-9 for Campbell

Round 3: Hervey comes out with a Jose Aldo like flying double knee but is unable to connect as Campbell lands a body kick. Hervey next channels Harold Howard with a scissor flip kick and Campbell avoids it landing in half guard before passing to full mount. Hervey gives up his back and Campbell pounds away. Hervey is able to spin out and get back to his feet. Campbell lands a spinning back kick and follows up with a combo that forces Hervey into the corner. Campbell ties up and drags him to the mat before taking his back and landing more shots. Campbell passes to side control and lands more body shots until the referee stands the fighters up. Hervey throws a spinning back kick that misses and Campbell responds with a head kick and a flurry of punches as the fight comes to a close. Top MMA News scores the round 10-9 for CampbellShane Campbell defeats Tony Hervey via Split Decision (29-27, 27-28, 29-26)

Mukai Maromo vs. Graham SpencerRound 1: Spencer shoots in and pushes Maromo to the corner. Maromo is able to avoid the takedown and lands a body shot. Maromo lands a few knees before throwing Spencer to the mat. Spencer rolls through and ends up in Maromo’s half guard. Maromo sweeps and lands elbows but is swept by Spencer who lands in side control before moving to north/south position and securing a kimura attempt. Spencer lands a pair of hammerfists in an attempt to gain better control of the submission attempt. Maromo continues to defend the kimura and eats a few more hammerfists in the process. Maromo scrambles out of the kimura but Spencer is able to lock on an armbar briefly but Maromo escapes and Spencer ends up in side control before Maromo replaces half guard. Spencer again passes to side control and then to full mount. Spencer lands short elbows and Maromo escapes to guard and ends the round on top. Top MMA News scores the round 10-9 for Spencer

Round 2: Maromo lands a leg kick and throws a high kick that is deflected by Spencer who muscles Maromo to the ground. Spencer lands in half guard and works the body with punches and short elbows. Maromo responds with elbows from the bottom. Spencer moves to side control and pins Maromo’s arm before landing shots. Maromo frees his arm and looks to get back to his feet but Spencer is able to keep him down. Spencer gets into half guard but Maromo sweeps and gets back to his feet only to get taken right back down with Spencer securing full mount just before the bell sounds. Top MMA News scores the round 10-9 for Spencer

Round 3: Spencer comes forward quickly and eats a right from Maromo. Spencer shoots in and Maromo sprawls and stuffs the takedown. Maromo lands body shots and Spencer passes to half guard before the two get back to their feet. Graham ties up and secures the takedown to half guard before passing to side control. Maromo tries to scramble away but Spencer stays heavy and keeps him down in side control. Spencer looks for a kimura but lets go and gets to north/south position and then to mount. Maromo looks to sweep but Spencer secures a kimura before releasing and landing elbows and punches until the end of the round. Top MMA News scores the round 10-9 for Spencer.Graham Spencer defeats Mukai Maromo via Unanimous Decison (30-27 x3)

Luke Harris vs. Ryan Ballingall
Ballingall lands a body kick followed by a combo and Harris ties up and pushes him into the corner. Harris muscles him to the ground and lands in side control. Harris locks up an inverted triangle and Ballingall has no choice but to tap out giving Harris his 6th straight win.Luke Harris defeats Ryan Ballingall via Submission (Inverted Triangle) in Round 1, 1:12

Mark Burns vs. Justin Smethurst
Burns comes out strong with a quick flurry and presses Smethurst into the ropes and secures a takedown but the two get right back to their feet. Smethurst lands a 1, 2 that drops Burns and Smethurst follows him down and locks up an armbar attempt. Burns defends an eventually escapes, getting back to full guard. Burns gets back to his feet and Smethurst lands a jab which prompts Burns to unleash another wild combo. Smethurst ties up with Burns and eats uppercuts and body shots for his trouble. Smethurst sneaks around and takes his back while standing. The two fall to the mat and Smethurst sinks a rear naked choke attempt. Smethurst continues working for the submission and Burns defends before finally escaping to his guard and then back to his feet. Smethurst lands a combo followed by a head kick and another combo before shooting for a single leg. Burns scrambles and takes his back sinking the rear naked choke just at the ten second warning. Smethurst is unable to survive the round and taps out shortly after.Mark Burns defeats Justin Smethurst via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in Round 1, 4:54

Rich Emary vs. Nolan CairnsRound 1: Emary lands a leg kick and a combo which prompts Cairns to close the distance and tie up. Emary scoops him up and slams him to the mat landing in guard and punches. The two get back to their feet but Cairns muscles him right back down. Cairns takes his back, looking for a rear naked choke. Cairns releases and moves to side control before passing to full mount and then back to side control. Cairns heeds his corners advice and drives knees into the body. Cairns looks for a kimura attempt but it’s defended so he lands a pair of hammerfists. Cairns again looks for a kimura but Emary escapes back to his feet. Cairns locks up a guillotine attempt but Emary pulls his head out and secures a guillotine of his own and falls to the mat with the submission attempt. Cairns escapes and the two get back to their feet where Emary wings another combo before Cairns looks for a takedown and the two fall to the mat at the end of the round. Top MMA News scores the round 10-9 for Cairns

Round 2: Cairns gets caught with a combo from Emary before forcing him into the corner and securing a takedown landing in half guard. Cairns passes to side control and lands a big elbow before passing to mount. Cairns postures up and moves to side control. Cairns looks for a kimura but steps through the ropes and the referee pauses and moves the action back to the center of the ring. Emary escapes to butterfly guard and then to full guard. Cairns secures an arm triangle but is uanble to finish. Emary pulls out of the arm triangle but leaves an arm out there and gets caught in an armbar and is forced to tap out.Nolan Cairns defeats Rich Emary via Submission (Armbar) in Round 2, 3:27